University Communications » Internal Communications » TrailBlazer » TrailBlazer 04-17-2012

Block Party breaks out on Thursday

Gather with all your Maverick neighbors at the Block Party, which starts at 6 p.m. Thursday, April 19, on the University Center mall.

Enjoy live music from Early Morning Creatures, the winner of the Battle for the Block competition, as well as Sleeperstar and DJ Kick-Mix.

Partake of carnival-style treats, games, and activities, such as an obstacle course, four-person tug of war, video games, a photo booth, and more.

Block Party is free for all students. For more information, contact EXCEL Campus Activities at 817-272-2963 or excel-universityevents@uta.edu.

Celebrate Earth Day on Wednesday

It's easy to be green at Earth Day celebration 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday, April 18, along the University Center mall.

Lunch is $1 and includes a baked potato, fruit, and a drink. Herb plants are free while they last. Other giveaways include reusable mugs and collapsible water bottles.

Vendors will demonstrate their green efforts. Bring old printer cartridges and electronic waste to be recycled. See a new electric car, the Nissan Leaf, on display.

For more information, contact Becky Valentich at becky@uta.edu.

Good as gold: The 7,000-seat College Park Center, which opened in February, has achieved LEED gold level certification. University and area high school commencement ceremonies will be staged at the center during the next two months.

College Park Center achieves LEED gold level certification

College Park Center has achieved gold level certification in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, part of the U.S. Green Building Council, further affirming the University’s role as a leader in implementing sustainable, cost-effective design.

LEED is an internationally recognized green building certification system that promotes sustainable building and development practices through a rating system that recognizes projects that implement strategies for better environmental and health performance.

HKS Inc. designed College Park Center, incorporating recycled construction materials, natural light, and many energy-saving features. The company’s application for LEED certification received a perfect score, earning all 42 points for which the firm applied.

“This is wonderful news and recognition that large, public spaces can be articulated in a way that embraces their environment,” President James D. Spaniolo says. “We are pleased to be able to say that our University is helping set the standard for sustainable design.”

Read more about College Park Center's gold level certification.

University, Beijing school form joint software degree program

UT Arlington has established a joint master’s degree in computer science and engineering with a focus on software engineering with the Beijing University of Posts and Telecommunications.

Representatives from BUPT, one of the top universities in China, will sign a formal agreement on the joint program today, Tuesday, April 17, in Davis Hall.

The partnership will bring 15 to 20 Chinese students a year to the UT Arlington campus beginning in fall 2013.

Read more about the UT Arlington/BUPT joint degree program.

Rolf Acklin

Mavs claim spots in national competitions

Mavericks took one first and two third place titles in national championships this past weekend.

Rolf Acklin won the gold medal in the wheelchair division of the National Collegiate Table Tennis championships Saturday in Plano. Juan Soto finished third to take the bronze medal.

The Maverick cheer squad placed third in the small coed division of the National Cheerleader Association Collegiate Championship at Daytona Beach, Fla. The team finished first in 2010.

Special Delivery President James D. Spaniolo, center, prepares to throw out the first pitch at UT Arlington Night at the Rangers last Tuesday. Joining him are Blaze's cousin, Rangers Captain, and Texas Rangers third base coach Dave Anderson.

Commencement guest tickets available

Guest tickets for commencement and related events are available now for graduation candidates.

Commencement activities include a formal ceremony in College Park Center.

Five guest tickets have been reserved for each graduate. Students can claim and print guest tickets online.

Claim only the number of tickets you intend to use. Donate your unused tickets to a general ticket pool to be made available to fellow graduates who need more guest tickets.

Additional guest tickets are available on a first-come, first-served basis and quantities are limited.

Swift Center Open House is April 27

Move on over to the newly renovated dance studio at the Swift Center Open House 6-7:30 p.m. Friday, April 27.

Watch demonstrations of dance and exercise classes, meet the instructors, and enjoy some refreshments.

Register for a class at the open house to receive a 10 percent discount and enter a drawing for a gift certificate for any Continuing Education course, a $100 value.

Follow Continuing Education on Facebook and Twitter.

Finding balance James Haley, aerospace engineering sophomore, walked a tightrope a few inches off the ground in front of the Central Library last week.

Still time to register for annual Oozeball tournament

Get ready to sling some mud this spring, but register your team first. Oozeball registration continues through Tuesday, April 24.

Oozeball is a friendly and sloppy competition of volleyball on dirt courts turned into muddy swamps from thousands of gallons of water. Teams of five or six members, including at least two females, battle it out to be the last team standing.

The 22nd annual event starts at 1 p.m. Friday, April 27 at the corner of Summit Avenue and West Fourth Street, just south of Greek Row.

Oozeball is sponsored by the Alumni Association and Campus Recreation and benefits the Student Alumni Association Sophomore Scholarship. Call 817-272-2594 for more details.

Donate items for tornado disaster relief

The Leadership Center and UTA Volunteers are hosting a tornado disaster relief donation drive in collaboration with Mission Arlington.

Items needed include non-perishable food, bottled water, baby formula, baby wipes, diapers, toiletries, and hygiene items. Collection sites include the Student Affairs Office, Room 350, Davis Hall, and the UTA Volunteers Office, Suite B140, E.H. Hereford University Center.

For more information, contact UTA Volunteers at 817-272-2963.

Voter registration deadline is April 30

Voter registration applications are available through Monday, April 30, in the Student Congress office, Suite B150, in the E.H. Hereford University Center. Voter registration information and links to local election offices are available through the Texas Secretary of State office at votexas.org.

UT Arlington is an early voting polling site 7 a.m.-7 p.m. May 21-25 for the May 29 primary elections. The polling site has been moved this year to the Maverick Activities Center.

Informed decision David Kai-Xin Lee, left, and Jasmine Brown, both nursing sophomores, check out candidates for student elections in The Shorthorn. Voting continues today through 6 p.m. on the first floor of the Maverick Activities Center and at the Palo Duro Lounge in the E.H. Hereford University Center.

Express yourself at Open Mic Coffeehouse with Outspoken Bean

The Open Mic Coffeehouse offers an open environment to express yourself through spoken word, song, instrumental, or another form.

Students, faculty, and staff can participate at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, April 24, in the Palo Duro Lounge of the E.H. Hereford University Center. Enjoy some free coffee and refreshments, too.

Emanuelee “Outspoken” Bean hosts the event. A poet, playwright, writer, and performer, Bean incorporates comedy, true conversations, alter egos, and spoken word that engage the audience.

Check the guidelines and sign up online. EXCEL Campus Activities sponsors the evening.

Maverick Safety Matters

The spring issue of Maverick Safety Matters, Environmental Health and Safety's newsletter, includes a feature on the new Environmental and Regulatory Management System. This system of processes and best practices will enable the University to reduce its environmental impact, ensure compliance, and increase its operating efficiency.

You also can read about the new occupational safety specialist and the dangers of leaving open spaces in ceilings by removing ceiling tiles. Tornado season is here, so don’t forget to brush up on the University’s severe weather procedures.

Foot loose Cristina Arias, anthropology senior, walks a path made with various soils and rocks on A Day Without Shoes last week.

Outstanding students needed as peer educators for fall 2012

The University College Learning Center is hiring peer educators for fall 2012. Peer educators are students who are successful in their courses, with at least a 3.0 GPA, and have completed at least one semester of coursework at UT Arlington.

All students must have earned an A or B in the course for which they are applying.

Positions are open for one-on-one tutors, small group tutors/mentors, and Supplemental Instruction leaders. For more information, visit uta.edu/tutoringjobs or email utatutoring@uta.edu.

Vote for UT Arlington in 'Where Art Meets The River' competition

Vote for the Maverick art team competing in the Trinity River Vision Authority's outdoor public art contest, Where Art Meets The River.

Artist teams from UT Arlington and Tarrant County College's Trinity River, South, and Northeast campuses created large, vibrant polyurea sculptures that will float on the Trinity River. Polyurea is an environmentally sensitive green medium with an appearance similar to fiberglass.

The 8x8x12-feet floating sculptures will be on display at Main Street Arts Festival, Mayfest, and other community events.

Vote American Idol-style through text, Facebook, and Twitter. Voting for the community choice award will begin on the first day of the Main Street Arts Festival Thursday, April 19, and continue until the end of Mayfest. The winner will be announced Saturday, May 5, at Mayfest.

Join discussion on alcohol abuse

The fifth annual North Texas Health Forum invites UT Arlington students to discuss community alcohol abuse problems with other North Texas-area college students. The forum is 1-2 p.m. Thursday, April 19, at the UNT Health Science Center, 1000 Montgomery St., Fort Worth.

Alexander Wagenaar leads the discussion. He is professor of health outcomes and policy at the University of Florida College of Medicine, associate director of the public health law research program at Temple University, and assistant editor of the journal Addiction.

Other sessions cover intervention and Texas initiatives. All sessions are free. Registration is required as seating is limited.

General dynamics Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott visited with members of the Army Warrior Games and Movin' Mavs wheelchair basketball teams Thursday afternoon. UT Arlington hosted a training camp for the Army's team.

Take survey on behavior, alcohol, drugs

Students are encouraged to take the University AOD (alcohol and other drugs) survey, which is issued every two years in compliance with the Drug-Free Schools and Communities Act Grant.

Use the code 18363 to start the survey, which asks questions about attitudes and behaviors regarding alcohol and other drugs and takes about 10-15 minutes to complete. The survey is available throughout the month of April.

For more information, contact Health Services.

Survey on safety, security seeks feedback

Provide feedback in a campus safety and security survey for the University Police Department. All entries are anonymous.

Results of the survey will be used to establish service benchmarks and serve as the basis for crime prevention initiatives on campus.

Students join local businesses for economic development event

Graduate students from the School of Urban and Public Affairs and the School of Architecture are partnering to create a unique economic development opportunity in the heart of downtown Arlington. Downtown Front and Center is a temporary “better block” and park installation inspired by previous projects in Oak Cliff and downtown Dallas.

Front Street between Center and Mesquite streets will be transformed into a vibrant streetscape, and the adjacent vacant city-owned lot will become a park for one day, Saturday, April 28. Local businesses, organizations, and artists are being asked to promote their work.

Students are encouraged to share their ideas in a short survey.

Steam outage planned May 21-23

The Thermal Energy Plant will shut down steam service to the campus May 21-23 to complete annual inspection and repairs.

Buildings served by the plant will be without hot water and steam during that time but will still have electrical power, air conditioning, and cold water service.

For information on buildings or equipment affected by the outage, call Larry Harrison in the Office of Facilities Management at 817-272-3458.

Ya'Ke Smith

Film prof named Woodward Distinguished Professor

Ya’Ke Smith, assistant professor of art and art history whose work has been nominated for an Academy Award and recognized by numerous film festivals, has been named the Morgan Woodward Distinguished Professor in the College of Liberal Arts.

The appointment takes effect Sept. 1.

Smith teaches film writing, directing, and editing. He has received critical praise for his short films, which have screened at dozens of film festivals across the country. His first full-length feature, Wolf, premiered last month at the South by Southwest Film Festival in Austin.

Read more about Smith's appointment.

Registration continues for summer and fall terms

Priority registration has opened for summer and fall. MyMav is your gateway to the Schedule of Classes and the Registration Timetables for making registration plans for the summer and fall terms.

To determine if you need adviser clearance, check your portal page at MyMav and click on Student Center. You will see a section on the right titled Holds. Click the details link for specific hold information. If your academic department requires advising, you will see an academic department service indicator (hold). Your registration dates can be found under Enrollment Dates on the right side of your Student Center.

A list of academic advising offices is online.

Apply now for next year's financial aid; complete the FAFSA for grants, loans

Students applying for financial aid for the summer and fall 2012, and spring 2013 terms should complete the 2012-13 Free Application for Federal Student Aid. FAFSA will help UT Arlington determine your eligibility for traditional financial aid programs.

Students and their parents who have already filed their 2011 federal income tax returns may use the IRS Data Retrieval function available online through FAFSA. The tax returns must have been filed with the IRS electronically two weeks before they are available through the IRS Data Retrieval process.

The U.S. Department of Education selects a certain number of applications for a verification process. This means UT Arlington will be required to collect some additional information to compare to the data reported on the FAFSA. These documents will include the 2012-13 Verification Worksheet. If the IRS Data Retrieval process was not used during the initial application process, UT Arlington will need to collect copies of the 2011 IRS tax transcripts for students and parents, if parent information was used to complete the FAFSA.

Signed photocopies of federal tax returns are no longer acceptable for documentation. This is a change from prior years.

Spring Theatrefest features one-act plays Spring Theatrefest is set to showcase the creative talents of students with a festival of one-act plays Thursday April 19-Sunday, April 22. This year's lineup includes the classic comedy Visitor From Forest Hills by Neil Simon, the eccentric comedy Wasp by Steve Martin, and Two Guys One Vault by Theatre Arts senior Dan Hinckley. Performances are at 8 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and at 2:30 p.m. Sunday in the Studio Theatre at the Fine Arts Building. Tickets are $7 for faculty, staff, students, and seniors, and $10 for the general public. Advance reservations are recommended and can be made by calling the Theatre Arts box office at 817-272-2669.

Tuesday, April 17

Clavier Series Piano Recital Features UT Arlington piano students. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Wednesday, April 18

$2 Movie: The Three Musketeers Rated PG-13. 5:30 p.m.; also 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 20, and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 21. Planetarium.

Earth Day: Celebrating People and Planet Visit with environmental vendors, recycle printer cartridges and e-waste, and see a Nissan Leaf electric car. Lunch $1. Free herb plants while supplies last. Campus Sustainability.

Thursday, April 19

Main St. 2012 Fort Worth Arts Festival Stop by the University booth at the downtown Fort Worth festival, which continues through Sunday, April 22. Check the music schedule for the UT Arlington Jazz Ensemble and Jazz Orchestra on Saturday. Main St. 2012 Fort Worth Arts Festival.

Block Party Features music, carnival-style treats, games, and activities galore such as an obstacle course, wax hands, video game truck, and photo booth. Free. 6 p.m., University Center mall. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Trombone Choir Concert The ensemble consists of trombone majors from the Department of Music, conducted by Dennis Bubert, visiting assistant professor of trombone. Free. 7:30 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Friday, April 20

Baseball Mavericks vs. Northwestern State. Free with student ID. 6:30 p.m.; also 2 p.m. Saturday, April 21, and 1 p.m. Sunday, April 22; Clay Gould Ballpark. Athletics.

Spring Jazz Concert Featuring the Jazz Orchestra directed by Tim Ishii, and the Jazz Ensemble directed by Dan Cavanagh. $3. Tickets. 7:30 p.m., Texas Hall. Music.

Movie: Man on a Ledge Rated PG-13. $1. 8 p.m., Rosebud Theatre, E.H. Hereford University Center. EXCEL Campus Activities.

Saturday, April 21

The Big Event  A day of community service and outreach involving students, faculty, staff, and community members. 8 a.m.-2 p.m. The Big Event.

Blaze Through Reading Festival In collaboration with The Big Event, students are encouraged to bring their children for a morning of reading, coloring, and science experiments. Free. 9 a.m.-noon., Bluebonnet Ballroom, E.H. Hereford University Center. Leadership Center, UTA Volunteers, Arlington Public Library.

Sunday, April 22

Symphonic Band and Symphonic Winds Concert A combined concert by the Symphonic Band and Symphonic Winds, conducted by Matthew Luttrell. Free. 3 p.m., Irons Recital Hall, Fine Arts Building. Music.

Wednesday, April 25

$2 Movie: The Muppets Rated PG. 5:30 p.m.; also 5:30 p.m. Friday, April 27, and 2:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28. Planetarium.

Ongoing

MFA Exhibition Five Master of Fine Arts candidates present their degree-culminating exhibition. Free. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Mondays-Fridays, noon-5 p.m., Saturdays. Through Saturday, April 21. The Gallery at UTA, Fine Arts Building. Art and Art History.

Impressions of the West: Works of Art from Special Collections More than 30 paintings, sculptures, and prints. Free. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Through Saturday, April 28. Special Collections, sixth floor, Central Library.

India Unveiled Images by photographer and author Robert Arnett. Free. 9 a.m.-7 p.m. Mondays, 9 a.m.-5 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays. Through Saturday, May 26. Special Collections, sixth floor parlor, Central Library.

Novus Ordo Seclorum Anthony Thompson Shumate uses the design that appears on the reverse of the Great Seal of the United States in his works. Free. 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Tuesdays, Thursdays, Saturdays; 2-6 p.m. Wednesdays, Fridays. Through Thursday, May 31. Gallery 76102, Fort Worth Center.

Planetarium See what it takes to become an Astronaut and the effect space has on the human body. 1 p.m. Saturdays. Planetarium.

(For an expanded list of events, see the UT Arlington Calendar.)

Tuesday, April 17	Micro and Nano-Systems Distinguished Speaker Series Arum Han, associate professor of engineering at Texas A&M, discusses "Microfluidic Platforms for High-Throughput Analysis of Microbial Bioenergy Systems." RSVP to Thanh Bui at tbui@uta.edu. Free. 3:30 p.m., Room 105, Nedderman Hall. Nanofab, Engineering.
Wednesday, April 18	Major Exploration Free. Noon-1 p.m., Room 303, Ransom Hall. University College, Success Series. Architecture Lecture Series Agus Rusli, a Dallas architect, is guest speaker. Free. 4 p.m., Room 204, Architecture Building. Architecture. Engineering Distinguished Speaker Series Woolfram Schommers, theoretical physicist and professor at The Research Center of Karlrush, Germany, speaks on "The Impact and Development of Nanosystems." Free. 6 p.m., Room 100, Nedderman Hall. Engineering Distinguished Speaker Series. GIS Workshop: ArcGIS Explorer See a demonstration of the free ArcGIS application that performs a variety of tasks, including viewing data in 2D and 3D formats, creating presentations, measuring distances, streaming public mapping services, and sharing your geographic data on the web. No registration or GIS experience required. Free. 3:30 p.m., Room B20, Central Library. Library. Student Veterans Workshop Creating effective cover letters and resumes. Free. Noon-1 p.m., Room 303, Ransom Hall. University College. History Lecture Series Second of two Ph.D. prospectus round table discussions. Free. Noon-1 p.m., Room 321, University Hall. History. Management Lecture Series Ed Lawler, distinguished professor of business at the University of Southern California, discusses "Management Reset and the Future of HR." Free. 5 p.m., Room 609, Pickard Hall. Management. CMAS Distinguished Lecture Author Neil Foley, right, discusses “Black and Brown in the Southwest: Historical Roots of Inter-ethnic Conflict and Cooperation,” which includes recurring themes from his latest book Quest for Equality: The Failed Promise of Black-Brown Solidarity. Free. 7:30 p.m., Room 300, Chemistry and Physics Building. Center for Mexican American Studies.
Thursday, April 19	Adventures in Antiquity Susan Shapiro, associate professor of history and classics at Utah State University, presents "Catullus Politicus: Poems 93, 29, and 11," on the relevance of Catullan poetry to the politics of the late Roman republic. The winner of the Douglas Britt Carvey prize for best student essay in Classical Studies will be announced. Free. 3:30 p.m., Room 2102A, Fine Arts Building. University Classics Club. Biology Colloquium Series Mikhail Matz, assistant professor of integrative biology at UT Austin, is guest speaker. Free. 4 p.m., Room 124, Life Science Building. Biology.
Monday, April 23	Major Exploration Free. Noon-1 p.m., Room 303, Ransom Hall. University College, Success Series.
Wednesday, April 25	Communication Skills Pertaining to Teaching and Learning Examine various forms of communication from the perspective of the student as well as the perspective of the teacher/tutor. Free. Noon, Room 101, College Hall. University College, University Tutorial and Supplemental Instruction. Safe Zone Ally Training Learn about heterosexual privilege, community and campus resources, and how to be supportive to members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender community. Register. Free. 1-4 p.m., Room 303, Ransom Hall. University College.
(For an expanded list of events, see the UT Arlington Calendar.)

Over the top: Jeff Rodriguez's first-place finish in the pole vault at the Texas Invitational on Saturday was his fourth outdoor win in the event this season. He owns the school record at 17 feet, 8 inches.

Rodriguez adds another pole vault win

Jeff Rodriguez soared to his fourth pole vault win of the outdoor track and field season at the Texas Invitational in Austin on Saturday.

Hance Loyd picked up another win for the men’s team as he was first in the 3000-meter steeplechase. Isiah Clements was second in the high jump.

For the women, Samantha Little was third in the discus competition, while both the 4x100 and 4x400 relay teams also finished third.

The Mavericks compete at the Mt. SAC Relays in Walnut, Calif., this weekend.

Baseballers top No. 2 A&M, return home this weekend to face Northwestern State

The baseball team downed No. 2-ranked Texas A&M 3-2 last Tuesday, and after a 5-1 loss to TCU, the Mavericks won two of three in a Southland Conference series at UT San Antonio.

Locked in a four-way tie for third place in the SLC with a 10-8 record, the Mavericks host Northwestern State in a three-game conference series this weekend. Starting times are 6:30 p.m. Friday, 2 p.m. Saturday, and 1 p.m. Sunday at Clay Gould Ballpark.

Tennis teams finish strong, SLC next

Both the women’s and men’s tennis teams finished the regular season with Southland Conference wins last week as they prepare for the SLC championships Thursday, April 26-Saturday, April 28, at Nacogdoches.

The women posted victories over Sam Houston State and regular season champion Stephen F. Austin during the weekend while the men downed Lamar on Thursday for their third straight SLC win. The men also added a non-conference win over Air Force before losing at Rice.

Golfers seek second straight SLC title

The Mavericks seek to defend their title in the Southland Conference Men's Golf Championship Monday, April 23-Wednesday, April 25, at Stonebridge Ranch Country Club in McKinney.

The golfers finished 12th in the Woodlands All-American Intercollegiate last Tuesday, as Hunter Brown and Paul McConnell tied for 42nd in the individual standings.

Softball splits with Northwestern State

Hillary Steed hit a walk-off grand slam to give the softball team a 6-2 win over Northwestern State on Friday, but the Mavericks lost 2-0 on Saturday in a Southland Conference series at Allan Saxe Field.

The Mavericks, now 3-7 in the SLC, play at UT San Antonio this weekend.

(For more sports news, go to utamavs.com, uta.edu/movinmavs, or uta.edu/campusrec.)